Grilled Lemon Chicken

Our Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe guarantees you the juiciest most tender chicken every time. This style of chicken happens to be a Bulgarian staple and it’s on every restaurant menu in the summer. If there’s one thing you should order in Bulgaria, it’s “pileshki parjoli” which translates to “chicken steaks.” They are not actually “steaks,” but the thin cut resembles a small steak. This is hands down our go-to chicken recipe that we make 3 to 4 times per week.

What stands out

This Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe is a weeknight savior. It uses just 5 basic ingredients, which you probably already have on hand, and comes together in literally 10 minutes start to finish. Because the chicken is sliced thinly, it cooks up in no time, it stays tender and juicy so you lower the chances of drying it out. The pan sauce is simple: just fresh lemon juice and avocado oil, so it’s nice and light and can be served with any side dish, sliced up on top of a salad, or in a wrapfor lunch. Feel free to season the chicken any way you like, but less is more in a recipe like this one.

How to Prepare

Start by taking the chicken out of the fridge and leaving it at room temp for at least 30 minutes before preparing the dish.

Now, use a sharp knife to cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then take each half and place it in between two pieces of plastic wrap.

Take the flat side of a meat mallet and gently pound each piece until thin, about 1/4-inch thick. This will tenderize the meat as well as help it to cook much faster and evenly in the pan.

Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.

Add some avocado oil to a pan and heat it up on medium-high heat. The oil should shimmer when hot.

Place the filets into the pan, making sure they are not touching. If the pan is overcrowded, the meat will STEAM and we do not want that.

Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden. You can also insert a meat thermometer and make sure the chicken is cooked to 165F (74C).

Squeeze the lemon on top of the chicken.

Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes before cutting. Garnish the Grilled Lemon Chicken with parsley and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

Make sure to take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before it goes into a hot pan so it can come up to temperature. Cold meat directly from the fridge should never go into a hot pan.

Swaps

1. You can use as much or as little lemon as you like in this Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe.
2. You could also brine the chicken overnight before cooking in 2 cups of cold water and 1.5 tablespoons of table salt. If you brine your chicken you probably won’t need extra salt before cooking.
3. Play with the herbs in this recipe. We just used some parsley as a garnish, but you could also use rosemary, thyme, or oregano.

Serve it with

• We usually pair this Grilled Lemon Chicken with our Bulgarian Shopska Salad and Crispy Lemon Potatoes on the Barbecue.
• You can serve this chicken sliced up on top of a salad as a main dish, such as our Lemon Parmesan Salad or Caesar Salad.
• Serve Grilled Lemon Chicken with any veggie side, like Roasted Bell PeppersGreen Beans or Broccoli with Feta.

Questions

can we make this grilled lemon chicken recipe on the barbecue instead?

Certainly! You can cook the chicken on a regular pan, a grill pan, or a barbecue.

why do we need to use a meat mallet?

Using a meat mallet gently tenderizes the halved chicken breast. You can use the flat side of the mallet (or even a wooden rolling pin) and pound the chicken until thin.

how will i know if the chicken is fully cooked?

The grilled lemon chicken should be golden on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) on a mark meat thermometer. You can also cut into a piece of chicken to check for doneness; the juices should run clear.

what can we do with the leftover grilled lemon chicken?

Leftover grilled chicken is a powerhouse in the kitchen! We love using it in salads, sandwiches, wraps, or as a topping for pasta or pizza.

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Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

• 2 chicken breasts, or thinly sliced chicken filets
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• parsley, for garnish

Equipment

• Large Sauté Pan
• Meat Thermometer

Method

1. Take the chicken out of the fridge and leave it at room temp for at least 30 minutes before preparing the dish.
2. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, or you can ask the butcher at any meat department to do that for you. Alternatively, you can purchase thinly sliced chicken filets as well.
3. Once you cut the chicken breasts in half, take each half and place it in between two pieces of plastic wrap. You can also place it into a Ziplock bag as well.
4. Take the flat side of a meat mallet and gently pound each piece until thin, about 1/4-inch thick. This will tenderize the meat as well as help it to cook much faster and evenly in the pan.
5. Season each side with salt and pepper. When seasoning, hold the seasoning high above the chicken, and then sprinkle it all over; seasoning from high above helps for even distribution.
6. In a grill pan or regular pan add some avocado oil and heat it up on medium-high heat. The oil should shimmer when hot.
7. Place the filets into the pan, making sure they are not touching. If the pan is overcrowded the meat will STEAM and we do not want that.
8. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden. If you prefer, you can also insert a meat thermometer and make sure the chicken is cooked to 165F (74C).
9. We poke a hole on the bottom of our lemon with a metal or bamboo straw and squeeze the lemon on top of our chicken both on and off the heat.
10. Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes before cutting. Garnish with parsley, if you like, and enjoy with any side you like!